MCL1981 wrote:I call BS on taking grade crossings to any more extremes. It's absurd. Everyone drives with ability to handle a red traffic light or stop sign all day long, every day. Every traffic light doesn't have 20 flashing warning lights, a loud bell, gates all over the place, and loud ass horn. If someone is stupid enough to run a red light, they pay the price for the accident they cause, and there is absolutely no question who's fault it is. There is no reason to make grade crossings more idiot proof than they already are. If someone is too stupid to handle it, it's just thinning of the herd in action.

Agreed!

Tadman wrote:MCL, that works until others get hurt. In the case of the Metro North Valhalla accident, seven people on the train were horrendously burned to death because some lady couldn't figure out how to stay off the tracks.

I agree that you can't make gates much more obvious, but you can make the punishments stiffer. Why is it one can lose their license after being caught drunk driving, which endangers others, but not for going around gates?

There was much more involved in the Valhalla accident than just the person driving the car. The bad design of the third rail, which came up and punctured the train, along with the bad visibility of the crossing, contributed to the vast amount of damage.

"Bad third rail design" is a crock of s***. That third rail caused no problems for 100 years until some lady stopped her car on the tracks in front of a fast train. If you drove your car onto the freeway and stopped in front of a bus, there is nobody to blame but the jackass who drove onto the freeway and stopped in front of a bus.

I could go on about the crossing design, etc... but the numbers prove my case. Millions of cars and passengers have passed over that crossing. Nobody was killed unless a driver fouled the tracks when warning devices were activated.

It is bloody time to stop blaming others and realize that fouling the crossing when warning devices are activated is an awful idea that often results in innocent people dying. How often do we have to go through this thought exercise?

But I'm glad they're closing the crossing. If people cant figure it out, shut it down.

Data from the train's forward-facing camera inside the locomotive showed that as the crossing came into view, the gates were down and the garbage truck was on the grade crossing. Witnesses to the crash reported that the truck had entered the crossing after the gates were down.

Rather open and shut case, as usual. But no doubt there is a line of attorneys waiting to sue Amtrak for some fabricated negligence.

While that driver was injured,both of his helpers lost their lives,due to his running around the gates.That driver might wind up in jail soon,his CDL is toast. That shortline will get sued over the gate malfuctions.

Backshophoss wrote:While that driver was injured,both of his helpers lost their lives,due to his running around the gates.That driver might wind up in jail soon,his CDL is toast. That shortline will get sued over the gate malfuctions.

If Buckingham Branch gets sued, CSX will also get sued as the owner of BB’s leased track.

Has it been established that the gates have malfunctioned regularly? Or is that just heresay , as normally pops up after an accident. I.e , after every road accident , you get a local or 2 saying they've been warning about that stretch of road for years. Usually , there is no record of the "warnings".

Backshophoss wrote:While that driver was injured,both of his helpers lost their lives,due to his running around the gates.That driver might wind up in jail soon,his CDL is toast. That shortline will get sued over the gate malfuctions.

What are you talking about???? Only one person died, and the gates did not malfunction. Multiple witnesses report the truck drove around the gates, and the gates were down when the truck was hit.

MCL1981 wrote:What are you talking about???? Only one person died, and the gates did not malfunction. Multiple witnesses report the truck drove around the gates, and the gates were down when the truck was hit.

I have not seen a report of WHEN the gates came down. Only witness statements that they were down when the truck began crossing and evidence that the gates were down when the crossing came into the view of the train.

If the gates had been down for five minutes I'd consider that a malfunction. Based on witness statements the gates were often down when there was no train.